Joseph baelstett



(N0 Model.)

" J.'BARNETT. 7

FIRE ESCAPE LADDER. 7 No; 312,793. Patented Feb. 24, 1885.

WITNESSES N PETERS. Piwloljihogripmr. Wlshiflglun. D4 (1 T ATENT tries.-

JOSEPH BARNETT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FIRE-ESCAPE LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 312,793, dated February 24, 1885.

Application filed September 1, 1884. (No model.)

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings,forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan View of my improved ladder shown lowered for transportation. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, part being broken away. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the turn-table and its standards, and showing the lower part of the ladder in a raised position. Figs. fraud 6 are plan views of two of the conmeeting-plates.

The object of this invention is to provide fire-escape ladders constructed in such a'mannor that they can be readily raised for use and lowered for transportation, will be securely held when raised, and can be readily adjusted at different inclinations.

The invention consists in a fire-escape ladder constructed with a base-frame-provided with a turn-table carrying standards and a hinged ladder, the said standards and ladder being connectedby a Windlass, guide-pulleys, and rope or chain.

To the standards attached to the turntable is attached a cross-bar to receive connectingplates hinged to the ladder, whereby the said ladder, when raised, can be firmly secured in place. The Windlass journaled to the stand ards attached to the turntable is provided with a brake, whereby the said ladder can be readily and quickly lowered. The turn-table is provided with a hinged hook to engage with perforations in the base-frame, and hold the said ladder from lateral movement when adjusted. The ladder is strengthened by studs attached to .its side bars and connected by rods and braces.

The middle parts of the which is mounted upon a running-gearing, B, in the manner of an ordinary wagon. G is a circular plate or turn-table, which rests in a rabloeted circular opening in the forward part of the base-frame A, and is pivoted to the center of a crossbar, D, attached to the lower side of the said base-frame A.

To the turn-table 0, upon the opposite sides of its center and near its edges, are attached lugs E, to which are hinged the lower ends of the side bars of aladder, F, bya rod, G,passed through the said lugs and ends.

To the turn-table O, in front of and at alittle distance from the centerot'thelower end of the ladder F, are bolted or otherwise secured the lower ends of two parallel standards, H, which may be'made in one piece, if desired. The upper ends of the standards H are curved forward, and to and between the said standards, at their upper ends and at the lower ends of their bends, are pivoted guide-pulleys I.

To the lower parts of the standards His journaled a Windlass, J, to which is attached the end of a rope or chain, K. The rope or chain K passes around the pulleys I, and its other end is attached to a cross-bar, L, the ends of which are attached to the upper ends of the upper pair of studs, M, attached to the side bars of the ladder F. The upper ends of all the studs M on each side are connected by a rod, N, the ends of which are inclined downward, and are attached to the side bars of the ladder. The ladder F can be further strengthened by brace-rods 0, attached to the studs M, the rods N, and the side bars of the said ladder. The wiudlass J is provided with a ratchet-wheel, P, and a pawl, Q, for holding the said Windlass from turning back should the crank he accidentally released, the said pawl being thrown back when the WllldlitSz is reversed to lower the ladder. The Windlass J is also provided with a brakestrap, It, passing around the end of its drum, or the edge of one of its drum-flanges, and connected with a foot-lever, S, as with a hand-lever, so that the operator can control the descent of the ladder. The standards H are strengthened against the rearward strain in raising and lowering the ladder F by braces T, attached to the said standards and to the rear part of the turn-table C.

To the rear part of the base-frame A are at- I GO.

tached the lower ends of one or more standards, U, to the upper ends of which is attached a crossbar, V, to receive the ladder F when lowered. The ends of the cross-bar V are bent upward to prevent the ladderF from slipping 01f the said bar while being carried.

To the projecting lower ends of the bracerods 0, or to other supports attached to the ladder F, are hinged one or more plates, \V, in the lower ends of which are formed holes to receive the ends of a cross-bar, X, attached to the upper parts of the standards H, and which are secured in place upon the said ends by pins Y. Several connecting-plates WV of difierent lengths, as shown in Figs.5 and 6, are designed to be connected with the ladder F, so that the said ladder can be secured at different inclinations.

To the rear part of the turn-table Gishinged a bent catch rod or hook, Z, which, when the said turn-table has been turned to bring the ladder F into the desired position, drops into a hole, a, in the base-frame A, and holds the said ladder from turning when in use. The middle parts of the lower rounds of the ladder F can be cut away and the inner ends of the said rounds attached to two bars, b, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the said ladder, when lowered,can be disconnected from the lugs E, and then moved forward, the bars I) passing upon the opposite sides of the standards H, to better balance the said ladder for transportation.

The bars b may, if desired, be made in one piece bent into U shape, as shown in Fig. 1.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fire-escape ladder, the combination, with a base-frame, a turn-table, and a ladder hinged to said turn-table, of standards secured to the turn-table, a Windlass and rope for raising and lowering the ladder, a catch on the turn-table engaging the baseframe for locking theturn-tablein position, and catch-plates on the ladder engaging the standards for holding the ladder elevated, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. In a fire-escape ladder, the combination, with the standards H, attached to the turntable, and the ladder F, hinged to the said turn-table, of the cross-bar X, and the hinged catch-plates WV, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the said ladder,when raiscd, ean be firmly secured in place, as set forth.

3. In a fire-escape ladder, the combination, with the turntable O, the hinged ladder F, and means for locking the turntable in posi tion, of the standards H, the guide-pulleys I, the Windlass J, the cross-bar X, and the hinged plates 7, substantially as herein shown and described.

4. In a fireeseape ladder, the combination, with the standards H, the hinged ladder F, the rope or chain K, and the Windlass J. of the brake R S, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the said ladder can be readily and quickly lowered, as set forth.

5. In a fire-escape ladder, the combination, with the lower rounds of the ladder F, having their middle parts cut away, of the bars 2), substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the ladder, when lowered, can be moved forward and better balanced for transportation, as set forth.

' JOSEPH BARNETT.

\Vitnesses:

JAMEs T. GRAHAM, O. SEDGWICK. 

